Backstory: Vaan was born into a long line of traveling gypsies. Growing up with the other roaming Half-elfs in the town of Marsal, Vaan was taught how to perform simple tricks as a street magician, while also being an adorable assistant for his father, Robynn. The father / son duo were well received by anyone who would lend them a few moments of their free time and subsisted on the donations from the spectators.

While travelling between cities, Robynn spotted the local prince and managed to put on performance for the travelling royalty. Unfortunately during one of the tricks, there was a massive explosion that killed everyone attendance, except for Vaan, who was blasted back and knocked unconscious from the explosion. When he woke up, there was nothing but a crater and ashes where people once stood. After frantically searching for his father, or anyone who could help him, Vaan hobbled to the East in search for a city.

As he was wandering the forest between major cities, Vaan was intercepted by a group of thieves who took pity upon the exhausted and hungry young half-elf. They agreed to nurse Vaan back to health, as well as teach him their less-than-legal way of life, as well as use him for heists.

After several years of studying under the group of thieves, Vaan was pretty proficient with pick-pocketing random passers by and was used for reconnaissance by the thieves due to his small stature. Unfortunately, during a caper, the group of thieves were being chased by the local sheriff’s guild and ran into a dead end. Before the sheriff could round the corner, the leader of the thieves shoved Vaan into a hiding place and told him to stay put and remain quiet. The group of thieves all turned themselves in and saved Vaan from being arrested.

Vaan was now forced to live on the streets, using his street magic and pick-pocketing skills to make ends meet. If he ever came by a surplus of coin, he always made sure to swing by the local orphanage to make a donation if he could. While he was there, he would perform magic tricks for the orphans to test out incorporating real magical spells into his set.

During one of his sets in Mercer as Vaan the Magnificent, an item was stolen from one of the attendees in the crowd. The crowd erupted into anger and accused Vaan of stealing a trinket. Vaan began running from the law but could not shake the police. After quite a bit of running, Vaan turned down an alley and ran into a giant Lizardfolk! Pleading with the Lizardfolk, Vaan asked Rhys to help him out of his current predicament. After dispatching the local authorities, Vaan and Rhys agreed to travel as companions.

Name: Alex

Character: Rhys, Lizardfolk Barbarian

Alex loves long walks on the beach, reading good books by the fire, and smell of fresh cut grass. You can follow him on twitter @sarahgormansama.

Rhys: Abandoned as a child, he was raised in an orphanage and spent a lot of time on the street. He had a number of jobs as security, muscle, fighter, goon, and hunter. He is sick of being used as a tool for violence, and wants to find a better path or at least somewhere to belong.